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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bulb — for light
  5. firm — steady
  6. last — final
  7. firm — decided
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bear — the animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. last — finally
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wake — a trail
  20. last — to go on
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. firm — a company

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com